The All Progressives Congress (APC) has further strengthened its political dominance across Nigeria following the reported defection of Plateau State Governor, Caleb Mutfwang, a development former Aviation Minister Femi Fani-Kayode described as “historic”.
In a statement made available on his Facebook page, he said the governor’s defection means that both the North Central and South South geopolitical zones are now fully controlled by the APC, a feat he said no political party has previously achieved.
“This is a historic development because the same political party has never controlled all the states in both zones at the same time,” he said.
Fani-Kayode credited President Bola Ahmed Tinubu with uniting what he described as minority groups across the North and South under one political platform, noting that no previous leader had managed such political consolidation.
According to him, the APC now controls 29 of Nigeria’s 36 states, while opposition parties collectively govern only seven. He added that the ruling party holds three of the five states in the South East, four of six in the South West, four of six in the North East, and five of six in the North West.
He described the expansion as a testament to the leadership of President Tinubu and the APC National Chairman, Professor Nentawe Yilwatda, saying the party’s growth was “nothing short of miraculous”.
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“No political party in the history of Nigeria has ever controlled so many states at the same time, spread across all regions and encompassing both Christian and Muslim populations,” Fani-Kayode said, adding that the APC has proven itself to be a national, inclusive party rather than a regional or religious one.
He also said members who defected from the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) in 2021 had now been vindicated, expressing confidence that the APC would continue to grow.
Senate clears Fani-Kayode, Dambazau for ambassadorial roles
Meanwhile, the Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs has approved the ambassadorial nominations of Fani-Kayode and former Minister of Interior, Abdulrahman Dambazau.
The two nominees were screened on Thursday and were not subjected to extensive questioning, having previously undergone full Senate vetting during their confirmations as ministers. After brief introductions, lawmakers asked them to “take a bow and leave”, a long-standing Senate tradition for nominees with established public service records.
Chairman of the Senate Committee, Opeyemi Bamidele, defended the procedure, noting that the privilege is reserved for individuals with verifiable public service experience.
The approvals will now be forwarded to the full Senate for final confirmation.
The screening followed President Tinubu’s submission of 32 additional ambassadorial nominees to the Senate on November 29, according to a statement by his spokesman, Bayo Onanuga.
The nominees include 15 career diplomats and 17 non-career appointees drawn from across Nigeria’s political and professional landscape. Among them are former INEC chairman Mahmud Yakubu, media personality Reno Omokri, and former Enugu State governor Ifeanyi Ugwuanyi.
Onanuga noted that gender inclusion featured in the nominations, with four women named among the career ambassadors and six among the non-career appointees.
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